This article was originally published by Per Bylund at The Mises Institute.  Why would anyone invest large sums of capital into creating something new with uncertain income? This question captures the core of the argument for intellectual property, or the legal protection of inventors’ ideas from being copied and put to broader use. The simple logic appears intuitive and therefore persuasive, but does not stand up to scrutiny. Why? Because it applies to all entrepreneurship, which is always an investment in something of uncertain value. Yet this does not seem to stop entrepreneurs. Or, rather, it moderates which entrepreneurial projects are undertaken so that the craziest ideas are not pursued unless they are potentially very profitable. Supporters of intellectual property would interject that entrepreneurship benefits from property of things, because they create new goods or services that are, to a great degree, physical; they cannot be copied as easily and at such low cost as ideas can. Therefore, they conclude, ideas need to be legally protected. The conclusion misses the point, however, because the reason for property rights is not the protection of potential revenue but the resolution of conflicts. It is because physical property is of both limited quantity and…

The San Francisco Giants’ Pride Night debacle just keeps getting worse thanks to team President and CEO Larry Baer. Not only did he join local sports radio station KNBR on Thursday to grovel at the feet of the LGBTQ community without allowing the hosts to ask him questions, he doubled down Friday in a letter to fans who contacted the team about the aftermath of three Giants pitchers protesting Pride Night by displaying Genesis 9:12-16 on their Pride hats, while another opted to wear the standard orange SF cap. Baer addresses the letter “To our fans” and has the audacity to open his lackluster response to the controversy by stating, “On a night when we gathered to celebrate inclusiveness and belonging, we understand that for many, it did not feel that way.” On the surface, that’s true, but he is clearly not referring to Christian and conservative Giants fans or even the players who protested in the first place.This is where Baer makes it clear the letter is one-sided. Rather than addressing the concerns raised by those who objected to the team’s handling of Pride Night, he spends multiple paragraphs attempting to appease what critics view as one of the…

All five active-duty military services met or exceeded their fiscal 2025 recruiting goals, according to the Department of Defense, marking what Pentagon officials described as the strongest recruiting performance in 15 years. The Army signed contracts with 62,050 recruits, or 101.72% of its goal, while the Navy brought in 44,096 recruits, exceeding its target by more than 8%. The Air Force recruited 30,166 airmen; the Space Force brought in 819 Guardians; and the Marine Corps met its goal of 26,600 recruits.Collectively, the five services achieved 103% of their active-duty recruiting mission, according to Pentagon officials. After several years of recruiting shortfalls, military leaders have highlighted recruiting gains in congressional testimony, public remarks and service announcements. For new recruits and the units waiting to receive them, however, signing a contract is only the first step. Recruits must still complete initial training, occupational schooling, technical certifications and, in many cases, security clearance requirements before joining the operational force. As recruiting numbers improve, questions remain about how long it takes recruits to become mission qualified and contribute to military readiness.How quickly recruits move from accession to operational qualification can affect force generation, unit staffing and long-term readiness planning.Military leaders routinely report recruiting totals…

The Tiger II tank, officially designated as Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B and introduced in 1944, was Germany’s most advanced heavy tank of World War II. Known as the Königstiger (King Tiger) by the Germans and often referred to as the Royal Tiger by Allied forces, it was designed to dominate the battlefield with unmatched firepower and armor. Tiger II tanks in formation for a wartime propaganda newsreel at the armor-training ground in Sennelager, Germany. Image: Bundesarchiv/CC-BY-SA 3.0 While the Tiger II boasted many superior specifications, its operational impact was limited by mechanical issues, fuel shortages and Germany’s deteriorating war position. Design Origins of the Tiger II Tank The Tiger II’s development began in 1943, as German engineers sought to improve upon the Tiger I tank’s strengths while addressing its weaknesses. The original Tiger I had already demonstrated the value of heavy armor and the powerful 88mm gun, but its vertical armor was vulnerable to angled shots, and its mechanical reliability was poor. The Soviet T-34 tank’s sloped armor and mobility had impressed German designers, prompting a shift in design philosophy. German Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. B “Tiger II” of the 503rd heavy tank battalion on the streets of Budapest in October 1944.…

We’re always on the lookout for new things to eat and drink in this great nation’s stadiums, arenas and, well, anywhere else, frankly, and Major League Baseball is dropping a real doozy.The league is getting its own signature cocktail, and it sounds like it may have been scientifically engineered to go down nice and easy while you’re sitting in the bleachers on a hot summer day, turning as red as a steamed lobster.But there’s one small issue I’ve got with it…ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! The drink is called the “Rally Cap,” and it mixes lemonade, iced tea and Traveller Whiskey — the official whiskey of the MLB and MiLB.OUTKICK SPORTS CARTOON OF THE DAY: THE LATEST ATTACK ON CAITLIN CLARKYou might be thinking, “Hey, that just sounds like an Arnold Palmer with whiskey in it.”Yeah, and?Lemonade and iced tea are the peanut butter and jelly of the beverage world. They were meant to be.Then you throw in a splash of booze, and, hey, this party is getting started. According to the league, the drink will be available at Padres, Marlins and A’s games (anything to put butts in seats…

The U.S. Army this week gave its chaplains 90 days to strip the rank from their uniforms in a move that puts a definitive timeline on a directive championed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has sought to shift religious leaders’ identities from their military grade to their faiths. Army chaplains have 90 days to remove rank from Army Combat Uniforms and 180 days to remove it from cold weather gear. The new guidance, signed by Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, also tells chaplains exactly where to attach religious branch insignia on uniforms and headgear. The changes do not apply to chaplain candidates nor the rank and insignia worn on chaplains’ Army Service Uniform.Though chaplains retain their rank, the new guidance implements Hegseth’s March directive that a military chaplain “is first and foremost a chaplain and an officer second.” “This change is a visual representation of that fact,” he said in a March video announcement.The directive provided a list of permissible faith insignia: “The approved designs consist of the Latin cross, the Jewish tablets (with the Star of David superimposed), the Muslim crescent moon, the Buddhist wheel of righteousness, and the Hindu Om.”Removing rank insignia from chaplain uniforms is…

When you are faced with a deadly threat, you may only have fractions of a second to respond. Are you prepared? Do you have the right gear and training to respond when you must? Let’s say that you do. What if that response does not work? The most basic of self-defense training is the center-mass shot. Making sure that you can effectively hit in the upper, central portion of a silhouette target is one of the most basic skills you should master. But what if those hits prove ineffective? Shooting an attacker in the high center area of their torso is often the best way to stop the attack. You should be prepared to follow up in case it does not. Grant, our Chief Instructor here at GunSpot, served as a Marine and as a SWAT officer. During his time in law enforcement, a drill he would run for practice is one commonly known as the “Failure To Stop Drill.” In the drill, which you can see at the top of this page, Grant runs us through the steps and details of this very important skillset. He is running a Springfield Armory XD-M Elite Tactical OSP 9mm and using a…

The 2006 comedy “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” was one of the biggest comedies of the 2000s and featured Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Sacha Baron Cohen at arguably the highest points in their careers.So, in an age where it seems like all Hollywood does is churn out sequel after sequel — with an occasional prequel thrown into the mix to liven things up — how did “Talladega Nights” not get that treatment?Well, in a new interview, the film’s director, Adam McKay, says there were plans for it. And, in all honesty, it was probably for the best that it didn’t happen.While talking to Business Insider about the movie’s 20th anniversary, it was mentioned that there were some plans for a sequel, and a treatment had been written.OUTKICK SPORTS CARTOON OF THE DAY: THE LATEST ATTACK ON CAITLIN CLARK”We did have an idea for (a sequel to) ‘Talladega Nights,'” he said. “It was that Ricky Bobby was going to hook up with an F1 team, and he was going to race in Denmark or the Netherlands and feel like he’s in a communist country because they have nationalized healthcare. So, along with struggling with how fast those…

The Army announced Thursday the creation of the Space Operations Branch, a dedicated career field for soldiers specializing in military space operations.The branch formalizes space as a permanent warfighting specialty, with personnel focused on protecting U.S. assets and helping prevent adversaries from targeting joint forces from outside Earth’s atmosphere.Brig. Gen. Don Brooks, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, called the announcement “a rallying point” for Army space personnel.“For 27 years, Army space officers have been working to normalize Army space operations, and that’s what this branch designation now does for the Army,” he said.The branch stems from the 2024 Army Space Vision, a call to action for commanders and staff to understand how space affects land operations and vice versa. With that, commanders were tasked with identifying soldiers suitable for space operations. In turn, the service created two new military occupational specialties: Army Space Operations Officers (Functional Area 40) and, on the enlisted side, Tactical Space Operations Specialists (40D). The Army also created the MOS 40C, or Army Astronauts, but the 19 soldiers filling those roles were detailed to NASA.The two roles complement each other. The service defines them as technical experts who know how…

Let’s get this out of the way up front. I believe the 1911 pistol is just about the finest handgun ever made. A well-built, custom 1911 represents mechanical elegance, history and performance all rolled into one. In my opinion, a pistol of that caliber deserves to be carried in nothing less than a high-quality leather holster. According to the author, when you invest in quality materials and skilled craftsmanship, you receive an investment that can last a lifetime. The Galco Masterbilt line follows that same philosophy. For years, I’ve been a fan of Galco leather holsters. Two long-time favorites of mine are the Combat Master and the Concealable, both excellent outside-the-waistband (OWB) options. They are well-made, durable, and comfortable. That said, when it came time to outfit one of my favorite 1911 pistols, I knew I wanted something a step above — something even more special. Stepping Up After a bit of research and a quick phone call, I got the inside scoop on Galco’s premium holster lineup: the Masterbilt Series. I also had the pleasure of catching up with my friend Mike Barham at Galco, who walked me through the philosophy behind the Masterbilt line and the craftsmanship that…